


Date in the Flower Bed

by AlexisTitania



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Flower Crowns, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Panic, Holding Hands, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, I think?, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, if you can stretch your imagination enough to accommodate vaguely romantic aerti in canon, kinda I think idk tifa is confused but she's pining hard without realizing it, like offscreen lol, so much hand holding so much sweet touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26626195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexisTitania/pseuds/AlexisTitania
Summary: "Speaking of topside," Aerith interrupted, a teasing tone to her voice, "You agreed to a date up there, remember?"At that, Tifa's cheeks warmed up. She simply had no control over them. It was ridiculous. There was nothing to be acting shy about. Back in the sewers, Aerith had invited herself into Tifa's plans for fun times in the near future. Tifa hadn't minded; in fact, she had been elated. It was even endearing how Aerith had called it a 'date.' But Aerith hadn't really meantthatkind of date... had she?"I guess I did..." Tifa muttered under her breath.It's the night of Aerith's capture and Tifa is restless, feeling guilty about her request to help Marlene putting Aerith in danger. She wanders out into Aerith's garden in hopes of finding some peace of mind. She walks around the garden to feel closer to Aerith, but she doesn't expect to actually see the girl there. When Aerith shows herself to her, Tifa is conflicted between convincing herself that this must be a dream and wanting it to be real. The fact that Aerith is being a flirt isn't helping her budding feelings. But she knows that Aerith is only pretending to be fine.They both try to ease each other's minds.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	Date in the Flower Bed

**Author's Note:**

> This is the only fic I'm posting for AerTi Week 2020, for day 1, prompt Missing Scene.
> 
> The concept is not very original, as it has definitely been written before, and it's pretty talked about in the AerTi fandom. But whatever, this is MY version of a Special Affection scene between Aerith and Tifa. I imagine we all love to read the same story written in 10 different ways when it's about our ships anyway. 
> 
> Inspired by the Special Affection resolutions in Chapter 14 of the Remake of course. Tifa implying she could feel the call of Aerith's soul just like Cloud, but no Special Affection scene for them? Homophobic!
> 
> And yes I know the Japanese dialogue has no mention of a date. This idea is entirely based on the English dialogue, because it's gayer.
> 
> P.S. I have only completed the Remake, and while I have been spoiled on all the major events of the original, I'm still going through both the 1997 game and Crisis Core. So if anything here directly contradicts some established lore in the franchise, well, excuuuuuse me... 
> 
> Ok, without further ado, let's dig into this monster!

Tifa closed the door behind her noiselessly, careful not to wake anyone up. Cloud had followed her outside earlier, when she had broken down and cried her heart out on his shoulder. His support meant the world to her, but she didn't want to be a bother to him any more than she already had been. If Cloud had heard her leaving Aerith's room and walking down the stairs for the second time that night, he seemed to understand she needed him to just leave her be.

This late into the night, when the world fell silent as inner demons grew louder, Tifa often allowed herself moments of weakness that she would always hide behind a cordial smile in the morning. Now, she had no strength left to smile. Her legs carried her heavily over the small wooden bridge leading further into the garden. _Aerith's_ garden. It was peaceful as she sauntered into it, dimly lit, but not eerie. The scattered lampposts and ground lights provided a kind of intimate atmosphere that Tifa could take comfort in.

She had come out without an end goal in mind, simply to get some fresh air and maybe wander aimlessly around the garden for a while. The four walls of Aerith's room were suffocating, and sleep just wasn't coming. The garden seemed like the only place she could go to find some peace until morning. Something about this garden felt like it was calling out to her, and now that she was here, she knew why. Aerith's presence was almost palpable. It was in the flowers, in the ground, in the thick night fog, in the dew beneath Tifa's boots. She couldn't explain it; she could only ascribe it to Aerith being a very special being, magical even. It was as if she had poured her very life force into this place.

So it wasn't _terribly_ surprising when Tifa caught sight of Aerith's silhouette kneeling in the flower bed at the edge of the garden. Her back turned to Tifa, her moonlight-kissed hair swaying in the warm breeze, Aerith appeared as if she were an idealized product of Tifa's fantasy. The scene made Tifa's heart give a sorrowful stutter. She wished this were real, but knew her mind was playing tricks on her. Either that, or this Aerith was an apparition produced by the condensed remnants of her soul in the garden. It wouldn't have been the most bizarre thing Tifa had ever witnessed. She almost liked that option better than all of this being just a dream. It stunned her how open she was to the possibility of being haunted by the ghost of Aerith. She found it even felt... strangely welcoming. And with that revelation, she accepted she was already too far gone.

When Aerith lifted her head, Tifa almost expected her to be a faceless spirit. But her face was in place, looking as it always did, if somewhat more obscure and faraway. Despite the subdued lighting, the vibrance of Aerith's deep emerald eyes left Tifa petrified as they bore through her. It felt so painfully real she could have easily been fooled into letting herself believe this was actually happening. But she knew better than to give in to her wishful thinking. Instead, she took a deep breath, blinked the exhaustion out of her eyes, and stepped across the cobblestone road and into the flower bed.

From this distance, she could discern Aerith's features more clearly, with a nearby lamppost illuminating her form. Her lips were stretched slightly into a smile that was sweet, yet somehow melancholy. Tifa couldn't help giving a weak smile of her own.

"Is this a dream?" she asked, more to convince herself of it. She didn't really expect Aerith to answer anyway, wasn't sure if make-believe phantoms even possessed the power of speech. Yet, she heard Aerith sigh meekly, with such a light ring to it, that she had to wonder whether she had just never noticed how lovely Aerith sounded or this was just another illusion of her own creation. All the while, Aerith remained at the edge of the garden. She sat back, mindful of the flowers, and hugged her knees.

"Well, if it is, we must be having the same dream," Aerith said, with a curious tilt of her head.

Tifa chuckled despite herself. "What, like, sleep-telepathy?"

Aerith didn't say anything else for some time. Still, her eyes never left Tifa's. It should have been awkward, but the silence was filled with an unspoken solace that gave Tifa an inexplicable feeling of normalcy, like she'd been with Aerith like this before. She'd had these strange moments of misplaced déjà vu with Aerith a few times before. Their occurrence didn't reveal any particular pattern, but they always left Tifa at a loss. A part of her mind tried to reach toward those vague inklings of nostalgia, but something was holding her back. So in the end, all she could do was quell this uneasy need to know, and pretend nothing was amiss. There was never time to dawdle.

"Come." Aerith's small voice startled Tifa back to reality. Taking a short moment to get a hold of herself, she returned her attention to Aerith, who was now beaming at her. "The flowers, they like you," Aerith spread her arms, gesturing to the yellow blooms surrounding her in abundance. Tifa found it mesmerizing, how she appeared to be so connected to nature, even if it was supposed to be her gift.

"You can understand them?" She approached Aerith's blossoming nest carefully, avoiding the flowers at her feet. "What are they saying?"

Aerith patted a spot to her left, inviting Tifa to sit. After only a moment of hesitation, Tifa plopped down, fatigue getting the better of her at last. She took a quick look around to make sure she hadn't crushed any flowers. When she looked back up, Aerith was holding a pretty yellow one to her lips, which ended up drawing Tifa's attention to them. She could only acknowledge how smooth they were before she abruptly averted her stare in irrational embarrassment.

"Well, right now, this one's saying you're very pretty," Aerith fondly tucked the yellow flower behind Tifa's ear, lingering for only a fraction of a second to push a stray lock of black hair out of Tifa's eye. By now, Tifa couldn't even remember what question Aerith was answering, all of her cognitive functions directed toward the feel of Aerith's warm fingers. She felt first her cheeks and then her ears getting hot, and tried swallowing discreetly to ground herself.

She was drawn out of her rumination by the sound of Aerith's mellow giggles. "You and Cloud are so alike."

"W-what do you mean?" Tifa internally cursed the stumble in her words.

Aerith tittered some more. "You're both so easy to tease."

For some reason, Tifa felt her chest deflate at that. "Oh..." She couldn't quite pinpoint why Aerith's comment stung, or what she was so upset about. She just knew that it had somehow grown hard to look Aerith in the eyes.

"Hey, no, Tifa," Aerith enveloped Tifa's right hand with both of hers, "I didn't mean it like that." It seemed that Aerith had figured out the reason for Tifa's discomfort before she had. And just like that, Tifa was helpless against the magnetic pull that was Aerith. Her eyes snapped upward, only to be greeted by the flower girl's.

"It wasn't the flower that thought you were pretty," Aerith breathed in a low whisper, "I did."

A bitter lump caught in Tifa's throat. She felt wholly undeserving of Aerith's compliments. If the situation were any different, she might have been flattered. But after what had transpired today, she was aware that she only deserved spite from Aerith. What made her feel even worse was the fact that Aerith was too kind of a person to hold a grudge. And Tifa hated how that gave her a twisted sense of relief. She didn't know if she could take Aerith's contempt.

"Aerith," with all she had, she pushed the words beyond her constricted vocal cords, "I... I don't know what to say..."

"What do you want to say?"

Tifa felt overwhelmingly weak at the knees as she returned Aerith's soft gaze. It was a good thing she was sitting. A ghost of a smile still adorned Aerith's lips, but that was the thing Tifa couldn't return. Even so, she forced herself not to look away this time. She needed to do this properly.

"That I'm sorry?" She inadvertently held Aerith's hand tighter. "That I should never have used you like that? That it's my fault that all of this happened?"

"What are you talking about?" Aerith's smile faded as her brows knitted closer, wrinkling her forehead.

"You were taken from us because I asked you to find Marlene. I put you in danger. I... I didn't mean it to do it, but I..." Tifa's voice abandoned her then. It was pathetic how she couldn't find the strength to say what needed to be said, to acknowledge the truth that only made itself obvious when guilt overcame her.

"I took advantage of your kindness!" she managed to wring out. "I'm sorry. It should've been me!" Her head dropped in remorse, her bangs falling out of place to cover the side of her face.

"Tifa." Aerith's hands left hers, and seconds later, Tifa could feel them cupping her jaw, lifting her face back up, where she was once again welcomed by the jewel-like green of Aerith's eyes. "This was bound to happen, sooner or later. It has nothing to do with rescuing Marlene."

"But..."

"You didn't make me do anything!" Aerith reassured her emphatically, "I _wanted_ to find Marlene! The Shinra just seized the opportunity to do what they have been planning for a while now."

Aerith let her hands slide down to Tifa's chin, where her fingertips enticingly dragged along the tip so slowly that Tifa could still feel their traces even after Aerith pulled away. Tifa clenched her fists in her lap, nervously pulling at her stockings.

"I don't want you to blame yourself for this!" Aerith spoke with utter confidence as she gave Tifa's fisted hands a brief glance, before putting her palm over one of them. In response, Tifa turned her hand around and firmly took Aerith's. She felt safe, being held like this by Aerith. Appreciated. Even if she didn't deserve it.

"You were out there, risking your life, helping your friends," Aerith lowered her voice once more. "And you entrusted _me_ with Marlene, and I willingly chose to honor that trust." Aerith's caring eyes felt like caresses on Tifa's skin. "We saved Marlene. All that matters is that she's alright."

Tifa just wanted to punch herself in the face. What was she doing, putting Aerith in a position where she had to console her, when _she_ was the one suffering right now? The way Tifa saw Aerith, she was strong, reliable, dependent. But even she had to have a breaking point. And lifting Tifa up when she was herself at the bottom definitely wasn't helping her keep away from that point.

Realization struck Tifa then. This was Aerith's second nature. She was a healer. She only knew how to give, never to take. In the time Tifa and Cloud had spent with her, she had always been the one to light up the way. She was the pillar. It was Tifa's turn to be the pillar now.

She put her free hand over her and Aerith's entwined ones, which prompted Aerith to mimic the action. With their hands now locked in a solid clasp, they exchanged anxious looks, both waiting for the other to speak. Gathering her resolve, Tifa decided to be the first.

"And what about you? Are you... alright?"

For a short while, Aerith just sat there unmoving, unblinking. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Tifa gave what she hoped looked like an encouraging nod, trying to urge Aerith to speak from the heart, as she had earlier. Aerith took a deep breath, suppressing a sigh.

"I'll manage..." she mumbled.

Before Tifa could react in any way, Aerith released a dry laugh, her chest trembling with it. It looked to Tifa like she was doing her best to keep up a strong front, but on the inside, she was just as much of a mess as Tifa was. The thought touched the very core of Tifa's being. She felt so profoundly for the girl next to her, and she didn't even know how she get gotten so attached to her in such a short time. It was frightening, but Tifa couldn't bring herself to want the feeling to go away.

"I actually spent some time as a kid in the Shinra Building." Aerith let her eyes take on that unfixed, reminiscent look. Tifa couldn't place the exact emotion behind it, but she could tell it was laced with a great sadness.

"I take it it wasn't the most pleasant time." Tifa stroked absentminded circles along the back of Aerith's hand with her thumb, offering what little comfort she could. Just then, Aerith cast her eyes downward and withdrew her hands, sitting back and hugging her knees again. Tifa was so dumbfounded by the action, unsure of what had caused it. Had she done something to make Aerith uncomfortable with her touch?

"No, it wasn't," Aerith's voice was as sweet as ever, not giving away a single clue as to what had gone wrong. Maybe Tifa was overthinking it, and Aerith just needed some space. Still, she couldn't help feeling incredibly cold all of a sudden. Her fingers twitched. She really missed Aerith's hands in hers.

She decided to use this opportunity to sort out her thoughts. Leave Aerith to her devices for as long as she needed her to, and just think. So she slumped and brought her legs to her chest to get cozier in the bed of flowers. Leaning back on her arms, she looked up at the night sky. Well, it wasn't the real sky, and it would never be able to replace it, could never compare to the breathtaking starry firmament she had watched with Cloud on that night so long ago. But this sky, this smoggy, polluted sky, embraced her and Aerith in this very moment. The two of them shared this view, and that alone made it special.

The only thing fracturing this idyll was, paradoxically, Aerith herself. The uncertainty of her being here, sitting side by side with Tifa. With each passing moment, Tifa found it harder to believe this was a dream, and it seemed even less likely to be a hallucination. Everything about Aerith's presence felt as real as could be. Tifa knew that was impossible, but even more impossible was the idea of Tifa conjuring up an Aerith so faithful to the real thing, yet with so much to her personality that Tifa had never seen. This was the Aerith she knew, but in so many ways, it was also a new Aerith; an Aerith who was showing pieces of herself to Tifa that she hadn't before.

Tifa had been joking about sleep-telepathy earlier, but she was starting to think she might not have been that far off. A thought occurred to her then; perhaps this was another one of Aerith's mysterious powers. Some kind of thought projection, to a place, or to a person. She wondered if Cloud could see Aerith if he were here. Or was this display for Tifa only? Would Aerith have come to Cloud too?

It was all in the realm of pure speculation. But if Tifa knew one thing, it was that being here with Aerith made her feel at home as she hadn't felt in a long time. She just wanted to stay here for as long as she could. And let her fragile heart hope against all hope that this would be real in the morning.

She cleared her throat, making Aerith flinch and look at her out of the corner of her eye.

"Lovely garden you have here," Tifa deliberately used her amiable voice, but it didn't feel fake in the slightest. And more importantly, it got Aerith to perk up and unfold her arms from her knees to lean back on them, mirroring Tifa's pose. Like this, they were at each other's eye level. With the added closeness, Tifa almost lost herself in the polished lines of Aerith's face, beautifully accentuated by the light of the lamppost that stood just outside the flower bed.

"It's been so long since I last saw so many flowers." Tifa was determined not to lose her momentum. So she kept coming up with things to say to try and get Aerith to relax. After everything, after Aerith had so kindly extended her friendship to her, it was the least she could do.

"Even for topside, this is amazing!" That got a small smile out of Aerith, but Tifa didn't have time to ask why. "It almost feels like a miracle. Like this place is somewhere far, far away from Midgar, from Shinra. From... everything."

"Speaking of topside," Aerith interrupted, a teasing tone to her voice, "You agreed to a date up there, remember?"

At that, Tifa's cheeks warmed up again. She simply had no control over them. It was ridiculous. There was nothing to be acting shy about. Back in the sewers, Aerith had invited herself into Tifa's plans for fun times in the near future. Tifa hadn't minded; in fact, she had been elated. It was even endearing how Aerith had called it a 'date.' But Aerith hadn't really meant _that_ kind of date... had she?

"I guess I did..." Tifa muttered under her breath, debating on where to take the conversation from here.

In the meantime, Aerith hummed suggestively, her smile growing wider. Then, in one swift move, she hoisted herself up from her reclining position and sat closer to Tifa. Tifa reflexively drew back a little, before reminding herself that this was okay, this was Aerith, there was nothing to be afraid of. So she sat up straight too, lining her shoulders up with Aerith's.

"Well..." Aerith's voice thinned out and grew saccharine with that one word. Her eyes danced across Tifa's face, setting her nerves aflame. Tifa had never been particularly self-conscious about her looks, but this situation was making her feel all sorts of insecure, and she just couldn't understand why this was happening.

"This is as good a setting as we'll get under the plate," Aerith drawled ever so slightly in what appeared to be a somewhat coy manner. She leaned in a bit and looked at Tifa from under her long lashes. "Want to have a date here?"

Tifa's brows shot up, at the same time as her jaw dropped. For a moment, she couldn't find her voice. Her head reprimanded her, but her heart wouldn't stop pounding. It didn't make any sense. Aerith hadn't done anything to provoke this reaction. In actuality, Aerith was looking a tad nervous herself right about now. What was she hoping for Tifa to say, though?

"What, right now?" Tifa's words came out more high-pitched than she'd intended.

Aerith seemed like she was deciding on her next course of action. When she made up her mind, she retreated a little to give Tifa more personal space. Then she bobbed her head affirmatively and fixed her smile into a taut arc.

"Right now."

Tifa's head was spinning. If she agreed, what kind of date would they be having? Better yet, why did it matter so much in the first place? Why was she making such a big deal out of a friendly suggestion to pass some time together? Some currently repressed part of her knew why. If she thought about it for a minute, she was distinctly familiar with this scenario. It had happened a number of times before, always with the drunk male visitors of her bar. But Aerith wasn't a drunk visitor, and she certainly wasn't a man. And that made all the difference. Where Tifa would usually turn the offer down politely, or not so politely if need be, she had no way of approaching the same thing with Aerith in the picture.

She quickly searched for something coherent to say, to cut through the silence that weighed in the air. Her mind revisited the conversation she and Aerith had had in the sewers.

"What about Cloud?" Her voice sounded overly timid in her ears. It didn't feel right anymore, acting so oblivious. She found she wanted to do something entirely different, but wasn't quite ready to admit it to herself yet.

One of Aerith's brows rose up as her smile turned lopsided. "What about him?"

With that, it was like a dam broke inside of Tifa. Looking at Aerith's cheeky expression, she was finally able to put a name to what she already knew but couldn't process until now. Aerith had been unabashedly flirting with her, from the very start.

From what Tifa could gather, Aerith had a bit of a flirtatious personality. So if this was all just in Tifa's mind, at least she did have a basis for making up this side of Aerith. On the other hand, what did daydreaming about a flirting Aerith say about her?

Tifa immediately realized it didn't really matter. Whatever all of this was, regardless of whether it was dream or reality or something in between, this moment was staying between her and Aerith. Only between the two of them.

With her breathing now perfectly under control, Tifa closed her eyes to get her bearings. When she reopened them, she shot Aerith an inquisitive look, with just a touch of innuendo. And so, all she could do now was present Aerith with one last barrier.

"Wasn't Cloud supposed to be our pack chocobo?"

Aerith seemingly noticed the shift in Tifa's demeanor, as her lips straightened out, quivering nearly imperceptibly. Her eyes hit the ground, and slowly traveled back up, as if giving Tifa the once-over.

"Do you want him here?"

They held each other's gaze wordlessly for a few beats, a hint of a mischievous upward curve tugging at the corner of Aerith's lips.

"No," Tifa spoke confidently. She wanted this time alone with Aerith; of that, she had no doubt.

Aerith huffed merrily, giving an open smile that showed her teeth. It lightened up the mood with an ease characteristic only to her. It was contagious, and Tifa found herself joining in with a mirthful laugh that made her eyes narrow.

"We don't need him anyway," Aerith chimed, "There's nothing to buy here. Well, unless you'd be so generous as to offer a few gil for a nice flower?" She pointed at the flower she had placed behind Tifa's ear earlier. Tifa let out a startled gasp and reached up to touch it, but Aerith cut her off, wrapping her hand around hers.

"Sorry, I'm just teasing again." She brought Tifa's hand down and laid it on the short grass, linking their fingers together. "That flower is a gift. In fact, all of them are." With her free hand, she motioned around, as if presenting the garden for Tifa's viewing. "You can have as many as you want."

Tifa's smile grew while her eyes went over the beautiful yellow flowers that filled the flower bed. A type of lily, if Tifa remembered correctly. She was no expert on flowers, but she thought that, for Aerith, she wouldn't mind becoming one. Aerith would be a splendid teacher. These musings infused Tifa's whole body with a pleasant warmth.

"Thank you," she looked back to Aerith, "But... It almost feels wrong to touch anything. This garden is precious to you. And besides... it's so beautiful! It's... perfect the way it is." The moment the words slipped from her mouth, Tifa felt like she wasn't really talking about the garden anymore. The garden itself wasn't the cause of these intense emotions within her, but she knew what _was_. It had everything to do with Aerith, this girl who had approached her with such vigor, had gotten under her skin in a matter of seconds.

"Don't be silly!" Aerith reprimanded good-naturedly, "I sell the flowers I grow here every day." She cocked her head slightly, eyeing the flower in Tifa's hair. "But I won't be selling you anything tonight. I want this to be a proper date."

Tifa had by now given up on trying to keep the temperature of her face in check. In fact, the heat was now spreading to her neck and shoulders, and fast. Aerith pursed her lips in concentration then, taking her chin between her thumb and index finger.

"I know!" she exclaimed with finality, "I'll make you a flower crown!"

Tifa was positive her heart had just melted. With all the effortlessness of a delicate flower, Aerith disentangled her hand from Tifa's and got on her feet. Nodding to herself, she scampered to the other end of the flower bed. She crouched there and started gathering the flowers, plucking them out with clear affection and gratitude for their beauty, an enchanting gracefulness to her every movement.

As she looked on, Tifa allowed herself to reflect on a thought that had come to her a number of times in relation to Aerith. Some ancient beliefs claimed that the world was going in circles, that it was an endless timeloop. That everything had happened before, and it would happen again. If that was true, and if connections between souls could carry over from one cycle of life to another, Tifa was certain she and Aerith had been soulmates in their past lives. The connection was simply too instantaneous, almost at first sight.

Deep within Tifa, it had felt like an already forged bond from the beginning, though she had no way of comprehending it. Just thinking about all of this felt beyond reason, but Tifa needed to grasp for some kind of meaning behind what she was feeling. She wasn't assertive enough in her judgment to act upon those feelings, though. She didn't even have a clear notion of what she wanted to do with them yet, no sensible outlet for this budding desire. She was satisfied just sitting here, watching... watching... and watching.

Aerith scuttled about for a few more minutes collecting various blossoms. At last, after what seemed like an eternity, she returned to Tifa's side with a posy in her hands, and reseated herself in the grass that was starting to get wet with dew. Without preamble, she extended her small collection of blooms to Tifa, stopping just inches from her face. The sweetest fragrance filled Tifa's senses, sending her into a wonderfully wistful state of mind.

"Like them?" Aerith's falsetto resonated around her. Tifa could only nod, lost in the pastel floral tones before her eyes; yellow, with a shade of lavender blue and beige.

Satisfied with the reaction she received, Aerith began picking the flowers out of the bouquet and sorting them out on the ground. She had them lined up in no time, as Tifa watched intently. Then she took two flowers with tiny lavender petals cluttered along the upper part of the long green stems. With precise technique, she meticulously curled the lower half of one stem around the other. Taking another flower of the same kind, she threaded it to the bunch in the same way.

She moved on to the beige flowers next, tying a couple around the set. Their luminous petals opening up at the top of the stem were a refined accent against the fuscous hue. After joining a few more dark flowers, Aerith took a large yellow lily and bound it to the arrangement as an embellishment.

She kept at this for a while, repeating the motions of her fingers and wrists that seemed automatic. Eventually, the flowers formed a cord roughly the length of her arm. She raised her work up in the air to observe it more thoroughly. Then she wrapped it around Tifa's head, measuring the size with squinted eyes. Seeing how it fit, her face brightened up, and she returned to the task at hand. All that was left to do was overlap the two ends of the string.

Meanwhile, Tifa was growing impatient; not because she wasn't absolutely bewitched by the sight of Aerith creating a work of art, but because her tongue was itching to say something about it. If she kept quiet, she felt like she would fall deeper into trepidation and questioning the truthfulness of all this. Though she was a little afraid that the sound of her voice would break Aerith's concentration and sour her spirits, she was far more afraid of waking up to find Aerith was never there to begin with. She needed to initiate casual conversation again, to make herself believe Aerith was with her still.

"So," she wet her lips, "You know the language of flowers... What does that crown mean?"

After a short pause that only ate away at Tifa's nerves, a noise came from Aerith that resembled a soft purr. It sent a chill down Tifa's spine. Aerith's eyes remained fixed on her deft fingers at work interweaving the stems and tying them up with one last beige flower.

"Oh, I think you know what it means." The playful lilt in her voice was surely just Tifa's imagination. "There! All done!" She held the finished crown up for Tifa to behold. It was a sumptuous wreath with misty lavender base and lucent highlights.

Tifa outstretched her hand and gently ran it along the flimsy petals. They were fluffy, and cold to the touch. She caught herself recalling the feeling of Aerith's fingers on her face, and promptly blocked the memory out, choosing not to dwell on it for now. As her hand journeyed through the crown, her pinky finger accidentally bumped Aerith's knuckle. She inhaled soundlessly and pulled her hand back on impulse. When she glanced up at Aerith, the mildly disappointed look in the girl's eyes wasn't lost on her, though Aerith tried to conceal it with that smile which was still perfectly in place. Tifa strained to puzzle out Aerith's behavior, to see through the facade of equilibrium she was putting up.

Before she could ponder over this any further, Aerith put the flower crown on her head, adjusting it here and there so it wouldn't fall off. Then she fell back and folded her hands in her lap, an expectant look on her face.

"I..." Tifa felt the garland around her head with both hands, suddenly speechless. "I don't know what to say..."

"That's the second time you've said that tonight," Aerith wiggled her eyebrows, letting her smile broaden, "Just tell me what's on your mind."

Tifa lowered her hands to her lap, in reflection of Aerith's ladylike pose. "Thank you? Mostly..." Her eyes drifted to the side, lids fluttering, "It doesn't feel like enough... Words aren't enough for what you're doing for me, at a time like this..."

"Hey, I'm being held captive!" Aerith straightened her back and put her hands on her hips in a smug fashion. "I deserve to get my mind off it for a while." Bringing her arms around her legs, she scooted closer to Tifa, until their shoulders touched. "Indulge me."

Breathless, Tifa nodded distractedly. "What do you need?"

Something new glazed over Aerith's eyes just then. It made Tifa's stomach flip unexpectedly. For only an instant, Aerith's facade seemed to have cracked. And then, when it looked like she was clamming up again, without a warning, her whole face unraveled. She blinked sluggishly, her brows unwound, and the muscles of her jaw slackened. Her lips parted, and Tifa's eyes were drawn to the movement before she could stop herself.

At once, Tifa became acutely aware of their proximity. With only a few inches between their faces, the air she breathed felt charged. The scent of flowers filled her nostrils, and she couldn't tell if it was coming from the garden, the flower crown, or Aerith herself.

Aerith was no longer making any effort to come off as composed. Something had snapped inside of her, Tifa knew. Almost in slow motion, her hands came up to tentatively pat Tifa's bare shoulders. When Tifa stayed still, Aerith rested her palms on each shoulder securely. Tifa hungrily drank in every minuscule gesture, for it was all she could do.

"Just..." Aerith's voice was a low moan, dry and somehow needy. "Lie down with me..." She tenderly nudged Tifa back. "Here..."

Tifa had no choice but to follow Aerith's lead. Ridding herself of Aerith's touch was simply not an option. Without it, she felt like she would explode. So she let Aerith guide her into the wet grass below, slowly, painfully slowly. With no second thoughts, she settled her head on the hard ground. Aerith's eyes held hers with an unyielding force. If it had been anyone else, it would have been overbearing. But to Tifa's shock, with Aerith, it was the exact opposite. It excited her.

For a while, Aerith remained looming above her, her hands on either side of Tifa's head. That didn't bother Tifa either. Aerith's braid had at some point fallen over her shoulder and onto Tifa's. Her hair felt silky. Looking up at her, Tifa noted that Aerith's eyes were dilated, laden with something dark and strangely illicit.

Finally, Aerith shifted to her side and lied down next to Tifa. She put one arm under her head as a cushion, and laid the other one on Tifa's stomach. Tifa put her hand on Aerith's without thinking. She had sworn off thinking by now. She just wanted to give in... To what, she didn't know yet. But she wanted to find out.

But then, Aerith closed her eyes, and the moment was gone. Tifa heard the chirping of grasshoppers for the first time that night. In between their singing, she took pleasure in listening to Aerith's even breathing, in taking in her features sculpted in the night by the light of the moon.

Aerith wasn't asleep. Tifa was sure of that. But with each passing second, her form got more disturbingly still. So frighteningly still... Like a specter. Tifa thought that she could become see-through any minute now. It was as if she was trying to escape, both Tifa and this place.

A terrible sense of dread washed over Tifa, burrowing itself deep within her bones.

"Aerith," she called out quietly, but with urgency, "Why are we doing this?"

Aerith opened her eyes tiredly, like she had just woken up from a bad dream. Tifa gave her a lot of time, but she never responded. While Tifa waited, a sharp pain pierced her chest, like a stab to the heart. And after that, she felt... empty. Hollow.

Why did she feel like... like she was being left behind? There were shadows at the edges of her vision, deathly figures in flight, leaving trails of murk in their wake. In her mind's eye, she could see the world falling into darkness, blights of black diffusing across the scenery like stains of spilled ink. And she was being swallowed by the blackness, with no guiding light to show her a way out.

But was this feeling really hers? Though she was currently experiencing it, she felt so far removed from it. Could it be Aerith's? And if yes, how could Tifa be sharing it with her? She had no time to consider the particularities of this phenomenon, as her head raced to find a remedy.

"Aerith!" Tifa called, louder this time, shaking Aerith's hand, "This isn't the last time we'll see each other! We're coming for you!"

Aerith's gaze was unfocused, avoiding Tifa's, looking right through her. "I appreciate that." Her voice stretched tensely. But Tifa could see behind her eyes now, could see how she was veiling her hopelessness and the lack of faith in Tifa's words. It made Tifa flare up from the inside.

"We're going to find you!" she shouted, "No matter where you are, no matter where they take you! We'll follow you outside of Midgar and across the continents, and we'll take you back!" She turned on her side to fully face Aerith. Remembering the flower crown around her head, she clung to Aerith's hand with both of hers.

"Aerith... I promise you!" She tried, with all her might, to make Aerith believe her. To make her believe that there was a way out of the darkness. "I know I've caused you a lot of trouble... So please... Let me make it right."

Aerith's words from earlier that day echoed in the back of her mind. 'Follow your heart,' she had said. Tifa knew where her heart was leading her now. And to whom it was leading her.

Lifting Aerith's hand to her face, she kissed her fingers. Her own newfound boldness surprised her. It was just a feathery peck, the barest of touches, but she could feel Aerith shiver under it. She saw Aerith gulp down on a lump in the back of her throat. Not long after, her eyes watered, but she blinked the tears back.

"I don't like that look of guilt on your face," Aerith spoke in a feeble, raspy whimper, and Tifa could both hear and feel the raw weeping behind it. "But..." With every word, Aerith's treacherous voice betrayed more of her crying soul. "If that's what it takes to see you again... See you for real..." She moved her other hand from under her head to place it over Tifa's. "Then, please feel guilty, just for a little longer." With that, she shed a single tear. It streamed down her temple and fell into the grass, where it was no different from the wet dew.

Tifa nodded fervently, hoping to cement her promise, their promise, in Aerith's mind. She held back for no longer than the blink of an eye, and then she closed the distance between them, bringing their foreheads together. Aerith didn't push her away.

"When..." Tifa began, but she had run out of breath and her voice cracked. She was on the verge of tears herself. Aerith, ever thoughtful and understanding, waited patiently. She rubbed circles into Tifa's hand with her thumbs as encouragement. Having given herself a few seconds to recover, Tifa tried again. "When we meet again... Let's hold hands. Just like this."

"Alright," Aerith gave her fingers a light squeeze.

This felt right. Lying here so close to Aerith, holding her like this, having a heart-to-heart with her. To think that only yesterday Tifa had no way of knowing how much comfort this would bring her. How her world would be turned upside down within the span of a few hours.

This was crazy. She had only known Aerith for one day. But she couldn't stop.

She wouldn't mind falling asleep like this. She wanted to. And she wanted to wake up just like this, when the sun was high up and brilliant in the clear blue sky. The real sky. She often dreamed of the sky. She wished she could show it to Aerith. She could see it, Aerith's dazzling smile as she looked upon the real sky. She would point at the real clouds, and they'd look for familiar shapes in them together. And then, Tifa would lean in, close, closer than ever before, and it would be alright, and...

She came to with a start to Aerith's round eyes regarding her with care. All too quickly, it dawned on her that she had been dreaming. For how long? How much time had Aerith spent watching her? If she had managed to fall asleep and still wake up in Aerith's embrace, was that proof enough that this was real?

"You can sleep, Tifa." Aerith was whispering. She was lying opposite Tifa, but it felt like she was speaking sweet nothings right into Tifa's ear.

"I don't want to leave you."

"You won't. You're still right here with me, even when you close your eyes."

Tifa was convinced that those words held some meaning and purpose that she was still incapable of unlocking. They were immensely touching, sincere, and heartfelt. Aerith had poured her soul's longing into them. It made Tifa's heartbeat drum a little more fiercely as she internally repeated them a couple of times.

"You're here with me too," she vocalized the thought. Then she offered one genuine smile, which got her an identical one in return.

Now she was at peace with closing her eyes. And so she did. It was going to be alright. Aerith had been with her the entire time. And when morning came and she had to leave, Tifa would know where to look for her. She had no doubts about that whatsoever.

"When we find you, and this is all over, I'll take you out on a real date. Topside. And I'll return this flower crown tenfold."

"You sure know how to make a girl eager for a second date..."

Though Tifa didn't see Aerith's face anymore, just her calming, melodious timbre was enough to banish all of Tifa's fears. She was protected, shielded inside this place that transcended space and time. And when she was reunited with Aerith, she would make her feel just as loved, and more. She would give her everything she wanted.

"I'll... buy you a dress," Tifa said sleepily, "A beautiful pink one, with flowers."

"I'd like that."

"And then we'll..." Against her best efforts, Tifa couldn't help a tiny yawn, which she quickly stifled. "And then we'll have dinner somewhere nice."

"Ok."

"You'll... You'll look really pretty in that dress." Tifa's words gradually grew fainter. "Even better than the one from Wall Market."

"If you're so sure... I'll do my best."

"You won't have to... You're beautiful without trying."

"That's my line."

All at once, Tifa's heart burst, her skin electrified, and her fingers in Aerith's tingled. She couldn't keep still any longer. Her eyes flew open, only to stare back into Aerith's.

"Aerith..." Her voice was dripping with a yearning she didn't dare try to satiate.

"Go to sleep," Aerith smiled, closing her eyes.

With one last starving look, Tifa reluctantly followed suit. While she was steadily coming down from her high, she whispered one final promise:

"We'll find a way out together."

"Ok."

**Author's Note:**

> So uh, how disgustingly tooth-rotting was that haha? Well I'll write as much vanilla as I want for the sapphics, who's gonna stop me? But also, I have to indulge myself with angst. Very emotional ansgt. There must be an equal amount of fluff and angst. Balanced, as all things should be. Also, *casually offers a timeloop theory for the Remake*
> 
> Of course, any and all comments, including constructive criticism, are very welcome! Just please be nice, I'm soft.


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